Neuromuscular Dentistry

Quote from William G. Dickerson, DDS, FAACD - founder of LVI

"Did you know that the position of our bites can cause headaches, pain in the jaw, sore muscles, neck pain, limited range of motion of the neck, upper and lower back pain, poor posture, pressure behind the eyes, stuffy ears, ringing in the ears, grinding teeth, breaking teeth, dizziness, vertigo, fatigue, and more. All these symptoms can be due to a bite being off by only a millimeter (1/25th of an inch).

One patient of mine had his 27 years of not being able to close his eyes without falling over resolved on the day the new bite was created. Another man who could not turn his head to the left at all due to neck pain, had full range of motion once he was restored to a proper bite. Another gentleman who took massive amounts of pain pills to control his neck, back pain and headaches was able to stop taking them when he was properly restored. There are many other stories just as dramatic and amazing as these.

You see, the dental system is very unique. It is composed of muscles, joints, and teeth. It can play a huge role in the overall comfort and health of a human. The truth is that the human animal is an incredibly adaptable creature. Most of the time our body's muscles, bones, and joints can adapt and function although they are not in the "perfect" position. This is true with the bite as much as with other parts of the body. But when they can't adapt, signs and symptoms not normally associated with what people consider a dental problem may occur.

Most of the procedures in dentistry were founded when there was no electricity, airplanes, or even automobiles. In the mid nineteenth century, crude oil seeping through the soil was a bane for the farmers in western Pennsylvania. Today the world's economy runs on crude oil. Times change. Ideas change. What was once thought to be a negative is now propelling the world's transportation industry. Dentistry has also changed and Neuromuscular Dentistry introduced over 30 years ago is rapidly gaining acceptance.

There have been new technological advancements which now let us more accurately diagnose and treat health problems which once were never associated with dental treatment. This "Neuromuscular" approach to dentistry has been used by dentists for over 35 years, but is now able, through advancements in computer technology to capture information about a patient and treat them more effectively.

Neuromuscular dentistry is a modern advancement based on the understanding that the temporomandibular joints (Jaw joint) need to be in a physiologic comfortable resting position for the best comfort of the joints, muscles, bones and teeth. This comfortable position is based on the guidance of muscles and stabilized by the bite position of both the upper and lower teeth.

The levelness of the teeth are also critical. The forces of the bite need to be distributed down the long axis of the body. If the bite is tilted, then the forces will be misdirected. This can cause as much of a problem for a patient as if the hips were not level or one leg was longer than the other.

We can now measure the electrical activity of the muscles and find the most comfortable position, then restore the patient in that position, and they will bite in that comfortable position every time. Therefore…"happy muscles"!

Our treated patients are more comfortable than those treated with conventional dentistry and we prove it by measuring their muscle activity in their new position compared to their old position. We can prove a lot of things using our principles. Our patients mandibles are comfortable because we can actually see the difference and see improvement in the before and after with recorded and documented data. Our computer can show when the bite is less than optimal and that it can contribute to generalized pain and suffering. We can also restore the "old collapsed look" of faces where the distance between their nose and chin has gotten smaller. It's almost like and instant face lift. Some of the before and after results are simply amazing.

If our patient's muscles are not happy, they can be corrected and improved with proper neuromuscular treatment protocols. Muscle palpation and evaluation confirms no tenderness of trigger points (chronic knots in muscles that refer pain to other areas). Facial appearance and esthetics is improved. The patient presents as new and improved human being that is now comfortable and realizing what comfortable really means. The bite is created where the muscles, the joints, and the teeth all harmonize together physiologically and proven as well as confirmed with objective data.

A bigger question might be, how do most dentists define "Comfortable"? What most doctors think is comfortable might not actually be comfortable. The less we know, the more that things seem normal. Sure, those patients don't complain. As mentioned earlier, the human is a very adaptable animal. They think they are "normal". They have no idea what normal or comfortable is! When you are in pain everything becomes a blur and distorted. They or the doctor blame on other aspects of their lives, stress, posture, etc. They are given drugs or sent for therapy to deal with "non dental' problems. Some are called crazy or told it's all in their head. Most dentists don't realize it can be a result of the patient's bite.

Testimonials from dentists who have been treated and helped are available by calling 888-584-3237. The reason I think it's important that they are dentists is because they are dentally aware and knowledgeable people, who can't be fooled.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me at 888-584-3237."

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